Transferring from Guard to Active Duty

May 18th, 2011, 01:03 PM

Hello...I just returned from Basic Training and Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA. I have been interested in going to active duty since Basic Training. I only attended one drill with my unit..and I am looking to go active now. I have not gone to BOLC/OBC--so I was wondering if that would help transition to Active duty, since I would be able to fill a branch in which the Army needs LT's. I understand that a conditional release form DD 368 would have to be done, but does anyone else know the process? I would really like to know any details or personal experience that could help.

The conditional release once approved is valid for a year. Since I had a good consulting job that had an end date; I prolonged my transfer to 7 months. After I contracted and had my date to ship; I gave that to my unit and that was forwarded up to my STARC. I was officially discharge from the Guard the day before I switched on active duty which prevents that break in service.

In my case, my Battalion CDR had to concur/approve my Company Commander's endorsement and that was basically it.

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Hello...I just returned from Basic Training and Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA. I have been interested in going to active duty since Basic Training. I only attended one drill with my unit..and I am looking to go active now. I have not gone to BOLC/OBC--so I was wondering if that would help transition to Active duty, since I would be able to fill a branch in which the Army needs LT's. I understand that a conditional release form DD 368 would have to be done, but does anyone else know the process? I would really like to know any details or personal experience that could help.

Given the fact that you havent gone to bolc/obc, I would say you would have a better chance of going active duty. If you become branch qualified then you would have to wait until you became a Captain or Major depending on the branch you do and what the army needs.

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Thank you for the info...I talked to an Army recruiter and said he has never had a case like this. He said my chances should be better getting in...especially since I did Federqal OCS..I am crossing my fingers hoping to get in

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Greetings everyone. My name is Abe, as my profile outlines I am a cadet at Norwich University entering my third year this fall. I spent my first two years as a Midshipman in Navy ROTC (Marine Option), but am now processing to switch to Army ROTC. I don't particularly need help with this process, the National Guard soldiers at Norwich are pretty good, I should be set to go to LDAC next summer if Lord willing.
The question I do have is more long term. My goal is to commission and serve in the Florida National Guard as an infantry officer with the 124th Infantry Regiment. My full time commitment would be as a law student at the University of Miami SOL.
I'm not all that concerned that a deployment would interrupt my degree, I am willing to deploy no problem because I consider my civilian aspiration as a lawyer just as important as serving in the Army.
My question is after graduating law school, which would take three years, would I have the ability to switch to active duty. From what I've read so far I know that I would need to get a DD 368 approved by my CoC in my Guard unit to be released. I don't particularly find this as a problem either, although I don't know my future CoC yet, after 3 years I'd have about a year left of active drilling under my contract ( I believe unless initial service obligations are different for officers than enlisted men) and would be willing to wait it out- I'd wait the full eight if I really needed to. When I am released from my Guard unit, could I then serve in the Active Component as an 11A Captain.
One minor question as well, I'm hearing that a lot of newly commissioned LT's aren't getting sent to their last BOLC training right away. Is this because of the LT or the Army? I'd have to get the scheduling down pat, if Infantry BOLC is 16 weeks I'd need to try to get in ASAP to not miss too much of my first term. If it's later, then I'd have to take my first term in the summer.
Any insight helps, thank you everyone.

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Have you considered going active and doing the Funded Law Education Program (FLEP).

Switching from the Guard or Reserves especially as an infantry officer is hard these days. As infantry is one of the most sought after MOSs in the Army even among officers. During your time in law school and drilling with your unit you're more than likely to advance in rank making it even hard to switch over.

Who knows maybe in three years the military will have more slots available. Good Luck!

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@ Abe M.....I am pretty much on the same boat as you. I already did a year of law school, but I still want to go active duty before I continue my legal studies. It will be very difficult for you to switch to active duty by the time you are done with law school, especially as an Infantry Officer. I am not branch qualified, otherwise the active duty recruiter said it would be very difficult for me to get in. He said Infantry and Armor are difficult branches to get into. However, it would be fairly easy to get into the Army as a JAG if you are interested in that. You could also go active right away after commissioning and go after FLEP. Pretty good deal..just have to score high on the LSAT

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I am in the same boat as Medina. My Chain of Command said they would release me, but I talked to a Active Duty recruiter and he said it wasn't possible. He did not give a reason why, he just said his boss said it was in the Regulations that I couldnt switch. He also said his boss did not look it up, so he wasnt sure if it was right or not. He told me to try the Marines, or Navy. I dont have a clue why he said that since I'm National Guard. I thought only the Army would recognize my Commission as an Officer. I have not attended BOLC yet, and would switch to any branch the ARMY needed me at, so Im not sure wether to try a different recruiter or not.

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They will honor your commission but they have to have a need for you. As of now, I believe the limited recall to active duty only applies to CPT's in certain branches. Check HRC's page for more details.